How does deer taste once the rut starts?

[Rainsford]

So this is my first year hunting and I have heard that once the rut starts the bucks taste like dog food from some people and I have heard others say they taste fine. I haven’t heard anything on doe's and the antlerless season opens November 1st in my area. My question is how is the meat once the ruts started for both sexes? Thanks in advance for your input!

[slicky72]

just like chicken:mrgreen:

[PointMan]

There are a lot of things that can affect how a deer tastes, rut, food, has it run or been chased, etc. Mostly, from what I've heard, whitetail taste doesn't change much throughout the year, doe or buck. But mulies can vary greatly depending on all the above circumstances. The mulie I got this year was a young spiker, pre-rut and it dropped where it stood, so the meat tastes fantastic. But if it had been a big 4x5 mid November, in the middle of rutting season, eating twigs and pine needles all year, I'd expect it to be less than a pleasant steak (unless VERY WELL marinated).

[Rainsford]

There are a lot of things that can affect how a deer tastes, rut, food, has it run or been chased, etc. Mostly, from what I've heard, whitetail taste doesn't change much throughout the year, doe or buck. But mulies can vary greatly depending on all the above circumstances. The mulie I got this year was a young spiker, pre-rut and it dropped where it stood, so the meat tastes fantastic. But if it had been a big 4x5 mid November, in the middle of rutting season, eating twigs and pine needles all year, I'd expect it to be less than a pleasant steak (unless VERY WELL marinated).

Oops i should have specified I live on the island so it would be blacktails i would be hunting.

[Jelvis]

Tastes like the Russian army walked through your mouth on your tung with their shoes off after marching non-stop through a swamp for two full days.
Jel ( Fillet of sole ) lol .. jj lol ..

[Blainer]

I have heard that once the rut starts the bucks taste like dog food from some people !This would be quoted from the people that only shoot little dink bucks!
Get out there and look for the biggest baddest monster rutting buck with a trophy rack and it will be the best eating meat you have ever had;with an awsome story and mount to brag about!
:wink:

[Shooter Jr.]

Oops i should have specified I live on the island so it would be blacktails i would be hunting.

Nah, I've never tasted any difference between any island deer and with 8 tags in the family I taste a few different deer a year:mrgreen: I couldn't taste any difference from a young dry doe than a old timber buck. I don't really know the story but one year my dad shot a really stinky buck, apparently so bad that had to drive home with their head hanging out the window. Tasted fine on my plate.
The things that contribute to make game taste "gamey" Is the butchering. If you leave the fat on, or if the hide is left on too long, or whether its bone in. We always trim all the fat off, take the hide off when we get home and never leave bone-in, and therefore never had a bad tasting deer:-D

[Shooter Jr.]

Ohh I should of added, some of those bucks I was talking about was middle of rut bucks too.

[sawmill]

We got a beastie buck up in Dawson Creek when I lived there,stunk real bad.We hung him in the cooler for 2 weeks with the exhaust fan going and he was the nicest eater Ive had.Just watch out for the tarsal glands on the back legs,skin them off first and don`t touch the meat if you have that on your hands.

[Wood butcher]

x2 shooter jr

[Brian011]

sometimes the meat may be a little tougher with a bit more of a gamey taste but i've always liked the taste regardless. bucks at the start of season taste better to some ppl, it all depends on the person eating it. if you dont like the taste of a buck in the rut, get sausage, pepperoni and jerky made from it.

[Shooter]

We got a beastie buck up in Dawson Creek when I lived there,stunk real bad.We hung him in the cooler for 2 weeks with the exhaust fan going and he was the nicest eater Ive had.Just watch out for the tarsal glands on the back legs,skin them off first and don`t touch the meat if you have that on your hands.


I don't even touch the tarsal glands usually. I skin up below them (when hanging from rear legs) and leave the hind legs on. I stay right away from them so not my hands or knife ever touches them.

[BromBones]

I've heard people say that rut deer are no good eating for as long as I can remember.

Yet the dozen or so mulies I've killed during the rut have been fine. As long as you get the meat cooled off and cleaned up, it'll be good meat in my experience.

[Shooter]

I think that for some people that aren't necessarily as careful with the meat (ie: super carful with glands, super picky with trimming fat off and making sure every last bit of hair is off of the meat), Rutted up bucks can taint meat much faster than early season bucks, However when cared for properly (super picky) I have never noticed ANY difference with ANY deer. That is speaking for BT's not Muleys which could be different. I have tasted BT's that were horrendous but not that were butchered by myself and I still believe that is the main factor.

[curt]

i typically dont like muley much pretty strong but the deer i shot in Dawsen were yummy basically farm raised. Muley in the rut can be nasty i had one that smelled like a wet dog while cooking not pretty!!!

[Pete]

Once the Mule Deer rut is close I switch to Whitetail. However some of the best Muledeer I have eaten was taken at the last of the season in December well outside the rut.

[tomahawk]

The meat is no different on any deer, rut or not, as long as the handler/hunter does the right field dressing job. Any talk of gamie meat is a direct result of a poor kill or poor handling!

[moosinaround]

It tastes like Piss:shock:, so don't even bother heading out for a rut buck!! Leave em alone, go to superstore, or costco!!:wink: Moosin

[Jelvis]

Mix up old blue cheese, garlic and a couple used pairs of hunting socks you wore but didn't wash, an old unwashed dish rag and walla a big ole stnky buck .. puts lead in your pencil and hair on your chest .. and a clothes pin on your nose ..
Jel ( What is that smell? ) Whew .. Why is every one going to the Golden Arches tonight?????

[CB_Hunter]

My brother in law got a black tail last year and it was so old it had no teeth well a couple but they looked like they belonged in a skid row bums mouth and we cleaned and wiped down that deer, hung it in a cooler for a couple days and then took it to a good butcher and that meat was a little tough and a bit more gamey but was still good for sausage and burger.

[Shooter]

My brother in law got a black tail last year and it was so old it had no teeth well a couple but they looked like they belonged in a skid row bums mouth and we cleaned and wiped down that deer, hung it in a cooler for a couple days and then took it to a good butcher and that meat was a little tough and a bit more gamey but was still good for sausage and burger.


Was it all de-boned? I had a butcher do one of my deer once. He did some steaks up on the bandsaw with bone in and that has been the only time I have had any less than desirable flavor.

[325]

Have someone fart on your tongue...that's about it for late-season muley. By default, those that like the taste of late-season muley would also like their tongues farted on. ha ha.

[Bistchen]

Like the boys are saying, proper field care is key.
If its a stinker rut buck, marinate in butter-milk just to be safe, if you are a little worried.
Just dont eat the ribs, and you will be feasting like a king~!!!!

[eaglesj]

I've had more rotten tasting deer than good tasting deer that were bagged in BC. I won't shoot them myself.

[tombstone]

shooters post is right on
also, in the rut, I cut off scent glands with a pocket knife, skin em right away, wash with vinagar water mix and hang for a good time if just above freezing. Good eats!!!:)

[Jelvis]

Lots of people prefer moose to deer especially when the deer is in full stink.

[behemoth]

I dont know what you guys are talking about

I'm starting to think that people that complain about "gamey" taste just cant get off the Costco tit.

Man up people- Wild Meat is unbelievable in flavour- rut or not

[Jelvis]

All depends on a person and their significant others .. their personal taste
some like steelhead and some sock-eye but no white springs ..
some doe some buck some whitetail some mule

[Johnnybear]

I dont know what you guys are talking about

I'm starting to think that people that complain about "gamey" taste just cant get off the Costco tit.

Man up people- Wild Meat is unbelievable in flavour- rut or not

Good post! We're not eating cows folks:mrgreen:.

Shooter Jr. and Shooters posts are great too:-D!

Once in a blue moon I might have a bite of BT meat that has a gamey taste to it but I enjoy it anyways so no big deal IMO.

[proguide66]

Ive been eating OLD rutted moose each yr for years with NO probs...as well , all the deer I shoot are usually old and rut crazed...never had a bad one....sadly , MANY people bring their game home whole..why? , havent a clue.although its cool to show it off to freinds...BUT , leaving that piss/musk coated hide on with the carcass is a sure way for shit tasting table fair.......ALL my game looses all its hide within 20 minutes of walking up to it....ALL of it...and I NEVER gut out an animal....its then hung with in a few hrs , cooled very quickly and cared for with absolute priority....there's a TONNE of pics on here with whole animals hanging in garages ect with the hides on.....table grieff!!...( only reason )

[BromBones]

Was it all de-boned? I had a butcher do one of my deer once. He did some steaks up on the bandsaw with bone in and that has been the only time I have had any less than desirable flavor.

The sawteeth drag the bone grits through the meat & give it a musky taste. A lot of the local butchers I know do that. Wild game should be de-boned first & carved up with a knife IMO. One reason I butcher my own.

Hunted with an older fella one year for mulies in late november & we both got bucks on the same day. He called me up 3 days later to help him with the cutting & wrapping. I thought that's a little early, but it's his deer I guess.

Showed up there, and he had hung it outside and it was frozen cock stiff. He fires up his bandsaw and starts hacking - through the crust, bone, fat, etc until it was all done into steak and roast. It was sick to watch.:neutral: I was at his place one time while he was cooking some if it, and the whole house stunk from it.

The buck I shot on the same day was cleaned up and hung for a couple weeks, de-boned and butchered, and it was good meat.

[1899]

The meat is no different on any deer, rut or not, as long as the handler/hunter does the right field dressing job. Any talk of gamie meat is a direct result of a poor kill or poor handling!

I disagree with this. I've had one mulie buck that was shot in november - one shot clean kill, dressed properly and immediately and it was barely edible. And one blacktail from Harrison east that was similar. On the other hand I shot a fine whitetail buck on November 15th and it was excellent eating. None of the early season mulies/blacktail had the stomach turning stank of those two I mentioned. Now that I think of it I've also had mule deer from the late season, shot Dec. 10 I think, from the exact same area as the nearly inedible one, and it tasted great. YMMV.